Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Push is on for Springfield casino
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Push is on for Springfield casino

Monday, May 22, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Finke

Gambling expansion was approved in the Senate last week. It was sponsored by Democratic Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan, although a couple of Republicans support it.

A provision in the bill cuts taxes on casinos. Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said the reduction will cost the state $280 million. Not so, replied Link, who said the cut will give casinos an incentive to expand their operations, which will actually generate more casino taxes.

So ponder for a moment: A Republican is expressing opposition to a tax cut, and a Democrat is touting a tax cut as a way to actually generate more taxes.

“I love the supply-side rhetoric,” Righter said.

Sigh.

* Meanwhile, a late push for a Springfield casino is being made. From the proponent…

A 1,200 position casino near the Old State Capitol will generate major economic benefits

· Drawing tourists visiting the Lincoln Museum and historic sites to spend at local businesses
· Estimated $150 million to $175 million in adjusted gross revenue, with a significant local share
· Those local dollars can invest in:

    * New buildings and existing building renovations for city school District 186
    * Much-needed renovations at the Illinois State Fairgrounds
    * Supporting the Prairie Capital Convention Center, affordable housing and more attractive entryways to the city
    * Downtown infrastructure needs

The guy who came up with the idea, Chris Stone, appeared on Rick Pearson’s WGN Radio program yesterday. Click here to listen.

Stone came up with the idea too late to get it into the gaming expansion bill that passed the Senate (again) last week.

       

27 Comments
  1. - Norseman - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 9:57 am:

    Is this “Trickle down casinomics?”


  2. - Anon221 - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 9:58 am:

    Ahhh… so that’s a plan for the old Y lot;) Not quite the “park” Rauner wants, though…

    http://wtax.com/news/101101-mayor-on-governors-y-block-ideas/


  3. - Annonin' - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 9:59 am:

    The Stone idea is intriguin’ and no parkin’ which is critical in this region. It is pretty clear that DopeyDuct and his team do not plan to lift a finger to help Springfield or the fairgrounds — other than panhandling for mansion money. The legislature twice passed slots at the Fairgrounds, but Dopey and his GOPies failed to include in the Gamin’ GB. The idea was about 5 years old so not “too late”


  4. - 47th Ward - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 10:05 am:

    I thought the bar at the Wyndham Hotel counted as Springfield’s casino.


  5. - DuPage Bard - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 10:10 am:

    Now Springfield wants a Casino? Why not just give one to everyone? Really?


  6. - Rogue Roni - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 10:20 am:

    Only if the dealers and servers have to wear stove top hats and beards. But knowing Springfield a buffet would be a huge money maker.


  7. - Skeptic - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 10:33 am:

    “Ahhh… so that’s a plan for the old Y lot;)” No, it’s the Vista block! /snark


  8. - Give Me A Break - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 10:42 am:

    To make sure this is really a true Springpatch idea, each person utilizing a Springfield casino should at the end of their visit receive a Horsehoe Sandwich and use of a golf car during the fair. And if they are Repub, a state job which would allow them to complain about big government.


  9. - cdog - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 10:53 am:

    Make it non-smoking and it would probably draw from every casino within 300 miles.

    Smoke-permeated casinos are nasty and dampen demand from non-smokers who can barely breathe in them.


  10. - NoNews - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 10:56 am:

    @ cdog , our casinos are smoke free.


  11. - cdog - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 11:02 am:

    NoNews, my apologies if that’s the case.

    Most recent excursions for us, past 2 yrs, have been to St.Louis Mo, Michigan City, New Buffalo. Yuck.

    The last time we went to Peoria, it wasn’t non-smoking.

    Many of these have non-smoking rooms, but that’s no fun for many reasons.

    How long have IL casinos been non-smoking? 100% non-smoking?


  12. - anon2 - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 11:23 am:

    I wonder if Sen. Link can point to any examples of where a cut in tax rates increased revenues compared to what they were under the higher rates? He could ask Trump’s treasury secretary.


  13. - Ahoy! - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 11:23 am:

    The Springfield casino makes sense, especially since it can help fund some capital improvements (state fair grounds) that the State is not willing to make.

    It would also give the school district a boost which would help with funding that the district does not receive with all the state buildings. Even the buildings that the state leases are loosing value (which impacts property taxes) because of the lease structures and lack of payment from the state.

    In short, the GA should include Springfield in gaming as a way to provide money for the community that it is so badly neglecting.


  14. - downstate commissioner - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 11:24 am:

    I love casinos-brings in tax dollars and costs me nothing….
    Would be nice to upgrade the fairgrounds (maybe some road work?)


  15. - Curl of the Burl - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 11:30 am:

    I would assume that the old YWCA area would be in play. Otherwise it would be shoehorned in anywhere else. But can we sustain a casino? Our downtown tourists are often families or large groups coming for historic sights. Can we change that - especially when only handful of downtown restaurants are open past mid-afternoon? Color me skeptical - although I appreciate Mr. Stone’s gumption and ideas.


  16. - lake county democrat - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 12:06 pm:

    Link’s hometown is the place that needs a casino: not only to stop Illinois gambling dollars from going to Milwaukee but to try to energize what should be an attractive place for development: Waukegan has cheap property, a beautiful lakefront setting and a Metra train to Chicago - it’d be perfect for a casino.


  17. - hisgirlfriday - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 12:14 pm:

    Video gaming a/k/a slots with better PR have brought the reach of gambling machines into neighborhood taverns all across this state.

    What is the point of opposing casino expansion at this point?


  18. - Jose Abreu's last homer - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 12:44 pm:

    I use an online account that is Costa Rica based for my gaming needs. Why do our dinosaurs in charge not allow this to be widespread?


  19. - Kevin - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 12:51 pm:

    Put a casino at the fairgrounds…Let the state own it.. And put the money into the fairgrounds and capital projects… Also let them run horses at the track as much as they want….Put aside the lobbyists and make the state some money.


  20. - Curl of the Burl - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 12:55 pm:

    Kevin - that would be a much better option than downtown. Parking alone would be a pain for people coming to a downtown location.


  21. - Arthur Andersen - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 12:58 pm:

    Put the Casino in Washington Park.

    This way, Stone can walk to work. Cellini as well, since no casino going up without him having a piece and unlikely Raffi will be visiting the US anytime soon.


  22. - Anonymous - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 3:11 pm:

    Regulate online poker and rake in a bunch of $ without building anything brick or mortar.


  23. - illini - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 4:04 pm:

    @AA - a little close to the Casino Queen and Fairmont Park, but, why not?


  24. - Springpatch - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 4:23 pm:

    Maybe the casino could be staffed by CWLP management who pushes power and water market speculation.
    1990, 2003, and today -they’re not afraid to lose.


  25. - Springpatch - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 4:26 pm:

    PS I also understand Bill Cellini is feeling better after his early release and may be one of the founding investors. /s
    A true Illinois comeback story.


  26. - Lynn S. - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 6:12 pm:

    I’d be curious to see the data the revenue projections are based on. I could believe these numbers in Chicago or St. Louis, but Springfield? Not at all hard to find one-arm bandits nowadays, and we’ve got so many video game parlors in Champaign-Urbana that they’re now sending out coupons for free or reduced cost plays.

    Proposing a casino, on the other hand, seems to be a great way to score free media space.


  27. - Ma - Monday, May 22, 17 @ 7:16 pm:

    That is all Springfield need - - more gambling addicts. I really can not see a casino making it in Springfield.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Subscribers Only - Legislative news
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability
* Roundup: Testimony focuses on ex-aides loyalty to Madigan
* Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders
* Some not-great state flag redesign contest feedback from WGN
* Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards
* Pritzker: Gia Biagi signals a “new era” at IDOT
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* Live coverage
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller